Parcel-carrier for bicycles.



No. 657,I35. Patented Sept.l 4, 1900. J. E. ROTHAERMEL.

PARCEL CARRIER FOR BICYCLES.

(Application filed Jan. 10, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN E. ROTI'IAERMEL, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

`PARCEL-CARRIER FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,135, dated September 4, 1900. Application filed January 10, 1900. Serial No. 966. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J oHN EMANUEL ROTH- AERMEL, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Parcel-Carrier for Bicycles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The principal objects of my invention are as follows: First, to produce a parcel-carrier which can be readily attached to or detached from any style of handle-bars and head-post on a bicycle and which when placed in position thereon will be firmly supported by said handle-bars and head-post; second, to produce a parcel-carrier the shape of which can be altered to suit different sizes and shapes of parcels and which when formed to a certain shape will retain the same until such times as it is desired to change it again, and, third, to provide for the folding up of the carrier when same is not in use.

Simplicity and cheapness of construction are also features of my invention.

For full comprehension of my invention and the manner in which same is constructed reference must be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate like parts throughout the diiferent figures, and to the following detailed description and claims.

In the said drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my parcel-carrier attached to the front of a bicycle and opened to its full extent. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the shape same assumes when it is completely folded up. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing one of the many positions into which the carrier may be opened. Fig. a is a perspective detail showing a manner of hinging the di vided bottom of the carrier.

l 1 are the two ends of the carrier. 2 is the front side, 3 is the rear side, and at is the bottom, of same.

I will now describe the manner of constructing the two ends 1 1.

The ends 1 1 are formed of a number of bars or strips loosely riveted together. The bars 5, 6, and 7 are placed so that two of them, 5 and G, form the vertical extremes of the ends 1 l, while the third bar 7 occupies a position midway between the other two. Loosely riveted to the bar 5 are a number of bars 3. These bars 3 connect the outer bar 5 with the middle bar 7, while running from the outer bar 6 (and loosely riveted thereto) are a similar number of bars 9. These bars 8 and 9 overlap each other at the center bar 7, and the ends of same are loosely riveted to the said bar 7.

I will now describe the construction of the front and rear sides of the carrier.

The front side 2 of the carrier is formed from woven wire, which is attached to a suitable framework. The lower and upper sides of such framework are composed of two rods or wires lO and 1l. The ends of these rods and wires 10 and l1 are slightly reduced in diameter, and the ends of the rod 10 pass through the lower bars 8 of the ends 1 1 and the bars 5 thereof and form the rivets for these bars at these points and at the same time connect the front side with the ends. The ends of the rod 11 are secured to the upper bars 8 and bars 5 in a similar manner. 12 and 13 are two rods or wires which connect the rods or wires lO and l1 together, and these complete a framework for the front side 2, to which the woven wire may be attached. The rear side 3 is made in a similar manner. Here the lower and upper rods or wires 14 and 15 pass through the lower and upper bars 9 and bar 6 in the same way as those of the front side, and thus connect the rear side 3 with the ends l 1; but in the rear side 3 the wires 16 and 17, which correspond to the wires 12 and 13 of the front end 2, extend above the upper bar `15 and have their ends formed into hooks, which latter are adapted to catch over the handle-bars of the bicycle, and thus support the parcel-carrier on the machine. These hooked ends are preferably covered with rubber tubing or similar material, so as to prevent the handle-bars from being scratched and also to prevent rattling on the part of the carrier. Between the upper and lower rods or wires 15 and 14C and running parallel with the rods or wires 16 and 17 is connected a rod or bar 1S, which carries 011 it a strap 19. This strap 19 is free to move in an upward and downward direction on the bar 18 and is provided with a suitable buckle or fastening device, by means IOO of which said strap may be secured to the head-post of the bicycle, and thus serve to steady the carrier on the machine.

I will now describe the construction of the bottom of the carrier.

Between the middle bars 7 7 of the ends 1 1 is a rod or wire 20, which has its ends slightly reduced in diameter to pass through both the lower bars 8 and 9 and the middle bar 7 of said ends and form the rivets for these bars at these points. The bottom t of the carrier is formed in two parts, each similar to the other, and made of woven wire attached to a suitable framework. The front part of the bottom is hinged to the lower rod 10 of the front side 2 and the rod 20, while the rear part is hinged to the rod 14 of the rear side 3 and the bar 20. A simple manner of hinging these two parts of the bottom, as above described, is shown clearly in Fig. 4, and I will describe the hinging of the front part, it being understood that the rear part is treated in a similar manner. A wire 2l encircles the rod or wire 10 Vof the front side of the carrier. It is then carried under and around the near side of the framework of the bottom and then carried along to the opposite side of the framework and under and around same and from there is carried over to and encircles the rod or wire 20. This wire 21, forming the hinge, may be soldered to the framework of the bottom along its end, and thus strengthen said framework; but it is free to turn on the rods or wires l0 and 20. Two of these hinges are provided foreach half of the bottom, one at each end.

From the above description and from the drawings it will readily be seen that I provide a parcel-carrier which can be adjusted to any bicycle, and as the bars forming the ends 1 1 are free to partially rotate on their rivets and as the two parts forming the bottom are free to partially rotate on their hinges my carrier may be pressed or pulled into a number of different shapes and sizes, the resistance to turning of the rivets being sufficient to allow of the carrier retaining any shape into which it may be pressed until same is desired to be changed.

The manner of attaching my carrier to a bicycle is as follows: The hooks on the rods 16 and 17 are caught over the handle-bars and the strap 19 is passed around the headpost and secured in such position by its fastening device.

Although I have shown the front and rear sides and bottom made from Woven wire,I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not limit myself in any way to the use of this particular material in all or any of these parts of the carrier, as other material-such as netted twine, leather, rubber, &c.-may be substituted for the above in any or all sides without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having now fully described my invention, I beg to state that what I claim, and desire to fullysecure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A folding parcel-carrier for bicycles having its two ends formed of a number of bars loosely riveted together and constructed and adapted to remain fixed in a Wholly or partially opened or folded position; the front and rear sides being formed of a suitable material, the bottom side of said carrier being formed in two parts, the inner sides of each part being suitably hinged on a support common to both and carried by the said ends, the outer side of one part being hinged to the front side of the carrier, and the outer side of the second part being hinged to the rear side of the carrier, and means for adjustably attaching said carrier to the bicycle.

2. A parcel-carrier for bicycles having two ends 1, 1, of same formed by a number of bars S and 9 and the bars 5, 6, 7, all said bars being loosely riveted together; said carrier having its front and rear sides formed of a suitable material; the bottom side of said carrier being formed in two parts, the inner side of each part being suitably hinged on a support common to each part and carried by the said ends, the outer side of one part being hinged to the front side 2 of the carrier and the outer side of the second part being hinged to the rear side 3 of the carrier; the rear side of said carrier having extensions from same terminating in hooks; and an adjustable fastening device to encircle the head-post of the bicycle said adjustable fastening device being itself adjustable in its connection to the rear end of the carrier.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses,at Toronto,Canada, January 2, 1900.

JOHN E. ROTIIAERMEL.

In presence of- W. CARLEILL-HALL, ELIZABETH PEDoIN.

IOO 

